Why Nigeria is still struggling to develop, Jonathan explains

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to stop choosing political leaders based on tribe, religion, language and other personal interests.

He said Nigeria would continue to struggle with development unless citizens changed the way they select their leaders.

Jonathan spoke on Saturday at the Herbert Macaulay Colloquium in Lagos, organised to mark the 162nd anniversary of the birth of the Nigerian nationalist.

He described the practice of choosing leaders based on ethnic and religious differences as outdated and harmful to the country’s progress.

The former president urged Nigerians to focus on competence and merit when voting for leaders, rather than their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

He also identified corruption, insecurity, weak institutions, poor infrastructure and inadequate education as major challenges slowing down Nigeria’s development.

Jonathan said the country must address these problems and change its approach to choosing leaders to achieve meaningful progress.

He urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to learn from Herbert Macaulay, whom he described as a nationalist who promoted unity beyond ethnic and religious differences.